Trailer



MS; 3, 1932. J. c. FONTAINE 1,857,081

TRAILER Filed Dec. 9, 1929 6 sheetssheet 1 1m N l A N Q i J'. (LRn/faille, 3mm

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May 3, 1932- -J. c. FONTAINE 1,857,081

TRAILER A Filed Dec. 9, 1929 v6 Sheets-sheet 2 H v 1J eliminado.

May 3 1932 J. FONTAINE 1*,857081 TRAILER Filed Dec. 9, 1929 e sheets-sheet 5 May 3, 1932- c FONTAINE 1,857,081

TRAILER Filed Dec. 9, 1929 `6 Sheets-Sheet 4 zoA a May 3, 1932. J, c. FONTAINE 1,857,081

V TRAILER Filed Dec. 9, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ilomwm".

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May 3, 1932.

Filed beg. 9, 1929 J. C` FONTAINE TRAILER 6 SheeiS-Sheet (5 LT- C. 'zfaiae; www

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. 'Patented Mays, 1932 JOHN, CLELIJANID FONTAINE, OF SHREVEPOBT, LOUISIANA erwten Application led December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,844. I

This invention relates to .trailers designed A g quarters for,

' primarilyfor use as slee campers;

It is an object of the inventionto provide a compact wheel-supported structure having two foldable beds so constructed and arranged that, by unfolding them, the side panels of the trailer/ will be swung laterally and upwardly to form roof extensions and, at the same time, supplemental panels will be brought into position'to form walls for the extensions. f

Another object is' to provide a trailer having ample storage space located where it will not hamper the occupants.

A further object is to provide a tra-ilerf having windows at the ends thereof whereby the driverof the machine towing the trailer can see traffic in the rear thereof. e

A still further object .is to provide a portion of eaclbed with a foldable structure which serves to reinforce ,y tended for use.`

vAnother object is to provide mechanism by means of which the beds and the parts connected thereto can be actuated at will.

With the foregoing and' other objects in view which will appear as the description e proceeds, the invention resides in the combination .and arrangement of parts and 1n the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of ,the invention herein disclosed may be made withinthe scope of what `is lclaimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention has been shown. In said drawings, e Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the'trailer, the positions of some of the parts when extended beingindicated 'by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2, Figure 1, an intermediate position ofeeach of the -.beds

and the side panel connected theretofbeing indicated by broken lines.. i

Figure 3`isa section on line 3 3, Figure 1, the beds and the side panels being shown fully extended for usen.

' through the outer side the bed while ex- 'dust and moisture.

lFigure 4 is a section on line 4 4, Figure 2x. Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Figure2. Figure 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing .in detail' one of the legs and adjacent parts.

" Figure 7 is a horizontal section through a 4 .portion of thestructuie taken on line 7 7,

Figure 3.

`Figure 8 is a section through a portion 4of the structure taken on line 8 8, Figure A3. 60 Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical section portion of the folded bed and adjacent parts.

Referring to the figures by'. characters of reference,l 1 designates supporting wheels 65 carrying/an axle 2 which, in turn, is extended through bearings 3 carried by springs v4. These springsl are'atta'ched to the bottom v frame 5 of the trailer. A draft tongue 6 is secured to and extends forwardly from frame 5. ,The frame 5 supports a Hoor 7 ,cut away at the sides to provideclearances for the wheels 1 these clearances being indicated at 8. `Lon.fz'it u iinal partitions extend throughout the length of the Hoor as shown at I9 and 75 aredisposed alongthe innerl walls of the lclearances 8. The front and back walls of the clearances are formed intov partitions 10 and these cooperate with partitions 9-and with the low end .Walls 11 and 12 of the 90 trailer to form cupboards 13 and 14 each of. whichhas an outside door 15 adapted to swing` outwardlv and downwardly to afford access to the cupboard. These doors, when closed, are suitably sealed against the intrusion of 55 Additional longitudinal partitions 16 are mounted on the floor 7 and spaced inwardly from the partitions 9 so as to provide additional storage spaces indicated at 17. The cupboards 13y and 14 and the ,clearances 8 are closed'at the top by a. panel 18 fixedly mount-- ed on the partitions 9 and 10 and extending lengthwise of the structure. These panels are pfixed.' The tops of the storage spaces 17 95 are closed l by hinged 'lids 19 extending throughout the length of the said spaces and normally resting on the partitions 9 and 16. UAS before stated, the trailer isprovided with end walls 11 and '12. The front end `10c Wall d1 is extended throughout the width of Athe trailer structure and extends the same height Ias the partitions 10, 9, andsl. CornerV and intermediate postsare secured tound 5 extend upwardly from the frame 5 and slid-l positions by pins 23. Eachpin is carriedby one ofthe legs and'is isertable into one 1.5 of a pair of recesses 24. By inserting'` the pin into the lower recess as shown` in Figure v -6 the leg will be held extended downwardly. By extending the pin-into the upper recess 24 the leg will be supported in raised posi- 20 tion.

, The corner and intermediate posts at the front end ofthe trailer structure have screens y fitted snugly between themas shown at andthe upper ends of these postsas well as $5- the corresponding posts 'atthe back of the trailer are connected by cross stri-ps 26 which,

in turn, are' connected at their ends by upper side strips 27. The roof 28 of vthe trailer is mounted onv the strips 26 and 27 and can be $0 of any desired construction, it being preferably like those ordinarily provided for closed automobiles.

To the front cross strip 26 is hingedly connected a front closure panel 29 which, -when 85 i-n lowered position, fits snugly'against the top of the front wall 11 and extends throughout the width of the trailer-so as to completef ly close the screened end thereof. '.By means of brace rods 30 or the like this panel can be supportedin a raised position at which time it will be extended downwardly and forward-..1

.lyl so asjto constitute a roof extension. n

The rear wall 12 of the trailer does not-extend continuously throughout the width of .45 .the structure. Instead it is cut away at the center so asto leave a space between the in termediate post' 20 approximately equal to Athe width of the aisle 31 between 'the partitions 16. Extending into-this space is the' l0 lower portion of a rear door 32 having a screened opening 33. The spaces between the intermediate postsand the corne/1` posts 20 at the back ofthe trailerare provided with -screens 34 similar to those located at the frontend of the-trailer. 4

. A closure panel 35'is hingedly connected t'o therear cross ystrip 26 and is adapte'd to swing rearwardly and upwardly't-o openposition. This panel, when closed, extends entirely across the screens 34 and the door'32. When ,1 desired, howeverthe panels 35 can be. swung upwardly'to an inclined. position as shown bybroken hnes in Figure l atwhich 'time it can be supportedby braces such as rods 36 or the',

C5 like provided for that purpose.

' The rear panel 35terminates at its upper edge close to the 'wall 12 but it' i's provided with a supplemental door 37 having a window 38. This door is so proportioned that it can be swung outwardly to open positionl and allow the inner door 32 to swing outwardly to open position.. Thus even'though the rear closure vpanel 35 is inclosed position, it is possible to enter andleave the trailer by opening the two doors 32 and 37. Door 37 is so lnouutcd'that `when the closure paneL35 is in elevated position as shown by broken lines in Figure 1, the door will be held flush with the panel by the sto p strips provided therefor. Hingedly connected to each ,of the upper side strips 27 is a side panel 39. This panel" ends of these strips are hingedly. connected the ends of,a movable bed section 41 having an apron 42 secured along one side `thereof and adapted to conceal both bed sections when they are folded one upon the other as shown in Figure 2. .l

To the inner longitudinal edge of the upper portion of section 41, when folded, is hingedly connected a panel 43 having screened window `Openings 44 which can be closed by hinged shutters 45. Normally this panel with its window Vshutters 'rests flat upon the upper one of the folded bed sections as shown in Figure 2. The outer edge portion of the panel 43'is hingedly connected at 46 to an interme' diate portion of the side panel 39.

The folded bed sections do not extend close therefrom a suiicient distance to receive los hingedly connected reinforcing'strips 47, the Y lower strip being hingedly connected at its `lower edge to the outer edge ortion of the toppanel 18 While the upper 'e ge of the upper strip 47 is hingedly connected to the upper portion 0f the outer side of the top bed section 41. In this connection attention is directed to Figure 9. l,

vSecured to the inner side .of the llower portionnof the panel 39 are one or more offset fingers 48 which extend baoliof and are adapted to engage offset fingers 49 carried by the outer surface of the lfower strip 47.

l The 4upper bed section 41 hasf'a panel 50 f connecting the ends thereof and, when the bed sectlon 1s swung'outwardly to active poto them and that end of each panel vfarthest As heretofore intimated, the trailer has its parts normally arranged to close the sides and the ends thereof,',the panels 39, 35, and 29 being fitted against the adjacent lower fixed walls of the trailer so that dust and .moisturel will thus be excluded. The trailer the trailer,a window 56 can be provided in can be drawn readily by an automobile to which the tongue 6 is attached and, in order that the driver may see trafiic in the rear of the vfront closure panel 25 in line with the window in the rear doors. i s When it is desired to use the trailer the y, legs 21 can be lowered into contact with the Aground and A'fastened by means of pins as heretofore explained. The automobile can then be Adisconnectedfrom the tongue 6 so that theftrailer ,will remainstanding in a horizontal position. Thereafter the upper lbed' sections 41 are swung upwardly and outwardly.y This will cause the panels 43 to thrust against the'panels '39 to which they are connected and, after the parts pass the intermediate positions indicated by broken lines in vFigure 2,-they will ultimately assume the position shown in Figure 3. -In other words,'each of the bed sections 41 will swing outwardly and downwardly so as to extend laterally substantially flush with the inner bed sections 40.

The aprons 42 will swing against panels'43 to limit the relative movement of the parts and the end 'panels 51 canbe swung upwardly to close the spaces between the ends of the y is swung outwardly, the fingers 48 will pull outwardly on the fingers 49. This will cause the strips 47 to swing outwardly as shown by broken lines in Figure 2 and ultimately fold under the bottom panel 50 of each bed se@- tion 41. These folded strips will serve toreinforce the bed where it isconnected to the top panel 18. Furthermore the folded strips will be supported above the paths of movement of theclosures 15. Access can there. fore be had readily to the cupboards 13 and 14.

After the parts have been set up as explained the shutters 45 and 53 can be opened lor closed as desired.) Furthermore the front closure section 29 and the rear closure section or panel 35 can also be opened if desired. When it is desired to collapse the parts so as to permit the trailer to be transported, it merely becomes necessary to'reverse the op` eration already described. The end panels 5l are swung downwardly ont-o the bed sections 41 after which said sections are swung upwardly and inwardly onto the sections 40 with the result that thepanels 43 will be fold-A ed between the upper bedsections 41 and the panels 39.

If desired, a special mechanism may be yemployed for actuating thepbed sections and the panels cooperating therewith. Each bed section 41 may be slidably and pivotally engaged by one end of a sweep 57 extending from a gear 58 j ournaled in the bed section 40. This gear meshes with a worm .59 carried by a short transverse shaft 60 located in one side of the trailer and ournaled in the partitions 1G and 9. A removable crank arm 61 can be placed. in engagement with either of the f shafts and by .means thereof the shaft can be rotated by a' person standing in the aisle between partitions 16 to'actuate gear- 58 and vcause sweep 57 to swing inwardly or outwardly to produce a corresponding move,-

ment of the bedsection 40 and cause actuation of the panels .controlled thereby.

The various joints between the panels and other parts can be so made as to prevent dust and moisture from entering the trailer.

-If desired, and as shown in Figures 3 and 5 a longitudinal rod 62 canbe mount-ed at its ends upon the end portions of the trailer at the centers thereof and this rod can support hooks 63 from which a. curtain 64 may be suspended. This curtain can be used for dividin g the trailer longitudinally into separate compartments.

Vhat is claimed is 1.'A trailer including a wheel-supported structure, partitions therein dividing the bottom portion of the st-ructure into a central aisle and opposed groups of compartments,

superposed fixed and movable bed sections structure, connecting panels normally resting on the superposed bed sections and liingedlyconnected to the upper bed sections and to the side panels respectively, each upper bed section being movable outwardlyand downwardly into position fiush .with the lower bed section to support the connecting' panel in an upstanding position and the side panel in an outwardly and downwardly .inclined' position, and foldable reinforclng means connected to the bed sections, sind means including hingedly connected strips, aA

hinge connection between one`of the strips 130 and the upper bed section and a hinge connection between the other strip and the lower bed section, said strips being movable tol position' between the bed sections and the side 5 panels when the. parts arein their normal positions.

2. A. trailer including a wheelsupported structure, partitions therein dividing the bot- 'tom' portion of thek structure into a central aisle and opposed groups of compartments, superposed fixed and movablebed sections hingedly connected at their outer erds .and disposed above the respective groups-of com'f partments, side panels hingedly connected tot nected tothe bed` sections, said fnieansfmcluding hingedly connected strips, a hingej connection between one of thestrips and the upper bed section and ahinge connection between the other strip vandthe lower bed section, said strips being movable to position between the bed sections and the side panels when the parts are in their normal positions,

and cooperating means on one ofthe stri s `and on the side partitions for positively shi t mg the strips rela-tive' to each other when. the movable bedsection is swung outwardly' and downwardly relative to the fixed bed] section. 40

`wheelsupported structure and superposed. hingedly connected, fixed and movable bed sections carried by said structure, of a hinged side 'panel supported by. said structure and adapted to-close one side thereof and normally to lap and conceal the -outer sides of the folder bed sections, a connectin panelhingedly attached to the upper mova le bed section and to `'an intermediate portion of the. 50 first .named panel, and an apron vixedly connected to one side of the movable -bed section for concealing the inner sides of'bothbed sections when foldedand for bearing outwardly against. the connecting 'panel when.

the bed sections are-unfolded, thereby to hold the panels and the movable bed sect-ion against saggin f. i

4.'In' a traller the combination with a wheel-supported vstructure and superposed hingedly connected, fixed and movable bed sections carried thereby, of a liingedly mounted side panel supported by and adapted to close oneI side of said structure, a con- 'necting panelhingedly attached to theupper tion, and foldable reinforcing means con-- 3. In a trailer the 'combination with a' andan apron carried by themovable\b ed section -for concealin the inner sides of both sections :when Vfolde and forl bearing outwardly against the` connecting lpanel when. 'the bed sections are unfolded, thereby to hold .(0 the movablelbed section and the said con-. n'ectin ane sa ainst sa 'n Y 5'. Ag irailer icludinggaglwdieel-supported structure, superposed fixed and movable bed sections liingedly connected at their outer j sides'and normally resting 'one-upon the other to form a side seat, a rigid side panel hinged- .ly connected to and normally suspendedfrom the top of the structure, `a rigid connectlng 'panel normally resting on the-,superposedbed Va0 sections to provide a seat top`and hingedly connected` to the upper bed section and. to an intermediate portion of the side panelrespe'ctively, the upper bed section being movable outwardly and .downwardly into'position flush withthe lower bed section to support the connecting panel -in an upstandingposition and the side 'panel-'in an'outwardly .and

downwardly inclined position?, that portion of the side panel below its point ofattachment to the connecting panel constitutingmeans for lapping and concealing `the outer sides ofthe bed sections when folded.

6. In a trailer, the combination with a wheel-supported structure and superposedj iliingedly connected fixed and movable bed sections within said structureand, the'niov'- able section being normally inverted and flat-A upon `the other section to form the bottom of a side seat, of'a'hingedly-niounted side panel supported by said 'structure'an' d adaptedto bear-against the connect-ed sides of the folded sections to close o ne side of the body and form the back of the .side seat, a connecting panel hingedly connected to andnormall-y covering the upper movable. bed section and l1ingedly'connected to an.` intermediate portion of the first-named panel, said movable bedstructurebeing adapted .to swing laterally and downwardly relative to the fixed bed .section to shift the panelsto provide a roof extension and aside wall thereunder.

7.' A trailer includingl a wheel-'supported structure, superposed' fixed and movable bed sections hingedly 'connected 'at their outer if ends, the movable section being' normally in-N verted and flat uponthe other section to form the bottom of a. side seat, side panels hingedly connectedto and normally suspended from the'. to ofthe structure, connecting panels norma ly resting on the superposed bed sections to form side seat covers and hingedly 'connected to the upper bed sections and to the side panels respectively, eachnpper bed section being movable outwardly ahd dow'nwardly into position fiush with the lower bed section to 4support the connecting panel in an opstanding position and the side panel in an outwardly and downwardly inclined position.

8. A trailer including a bed section mounted to swing, and means operable from within the structure for swinglng the bed section into and out of vnormal position, said means including a sweep pivotally connected .to and lmovable transversely of the structure and slidably and pivotally connected to the movable bed section, an actuating shaft, and a gear connection between said shaft and the sweepa and means within the structure for actuating A the shaft. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature'.

JOHN CLELLAND FONTAINE. f 

